Odomes guilty in priest slaying

Published: Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 10:54 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, August 26, 2011 at 11:15 a.m.

A 33-year-old Thibodaux man is guilty of bludgeoning a priest to death 19 years ago, a verdict that took jurors just 45 minutes of deliberation and brings closure to a case that stunned the community.

The conviction, handed down Thursday afternoon, may not result in any jail time for Derrick Odomes, who already faces a life sentence for other crimes, but Horgan's family said it was a needed decision for a senseless crime that festered like an open wound for nearly two decades.

A 12-member jury unanimously found Odomes guilty of second-degree murder at the conclusion of a two-day trial.

“The family can finally have closure,” said Jon Perry, Horgan's cousin and the family spokesman. “This has been 19 years coming.”

Odomes bludgeoned the Rev. Hunter Horgan to death Aug. 13, 1992, inside the priest's office in St. John's Episcopal Church in Thibodaux. Odomes, who was 14 years old in 1992, was arrested in September 2007.

In the courtroom, some of Horgan's family members huddled together, held hands and cried tears of relief in the moments after the verdict was read.

Odomes listened quietly with his face resting on his right palm.

District Judge John E. LeBlanc, who presided over the trial, ruled last year that Odomes can't be sentenced in connection with the slaying because of his age at the time of Horgan's death.

State law in place in 1992 mandates that a conviction in Horgan's murder would require Odomes' release at age 21.

But Odomes got a life sentence last week as a result of six felony convictions he has racked up in the 19 years since the murder, ensuring he will face significant jail time.

Horgan's family and District Attorney Cam Morvant II said pursuing the guilty verdict was important even if the conviction will not result in more jail time.

Perry said the family wanted the case solved “the proper way” and is willing to accept the possibility that Odomes will not receive a longer prison sentence for the murder.

A sentencing hearing is set for Sept. 23. Perry said he will be there to talk about the murder's impact on the family. Morvant said he will consider appealing LeBlanc's decision.

Horgan's body was found in a pool of blood outside his office the morning after the Wednesday-night killing. His wallet was missing, and his pants pocket was turned inside out. Horgan's gray 1990 Toyota Camry, missing from the church parking lot, was found later that night on St. Charles Street.

Morvant said investigators found a trail of blood between the office and kitchen.

Crime-scene investigators told the jury that two fingerprints found at the crime scene were later matched to Odomes. One was on the faucet in the church kitchen and another was on a bloody table in Horgan's office.

Prosecutors questioned Derrick Reed, a self-described childhood friend of Odomes who is now serving a 10-year state prison sentence for burglary. Reed told the jury that Odomes admitted to the killing years ago. Reed gave a statement to investigators when they approached him in 2007.

“When you live a street life, that ain't what you do,” he said when asked why it took him several years to give the information to detectives. “I was afraid.”

Odomes took the stand Thursday to state his innocence and challenge Reed's testimony.

He did not deny that the two fingerprints belonged to him, and he could not explain why there was blood on the table in Horgan's office.

Odomes said he and his friends were frequently at a playground behind the church. Odomes said he would go into the church hall to use the bathroom and get water.

Those trips for water and the rest room, Odomes said, were the likely reason his prints were found in the church hall.

Morvant questioned why Odomes told investigators in 1998 that he had never been inside the church hall.

“I was scared,” Odomes said, explaining that he felt threatened during the police interview. “I really didn't know what to do.”

He told Morvant during the tense round of questioning that he was afraid the police would put on a circus like “the circus you're putting on now.”

Morvant told the jury in his closing arguments that Odomes' testimony made a “mockery” of the trial and should not be trusted.

Lynden Burton, Odomes' New Iberia-based attorney, focused on what he told jurors was a lack of evidence tying Odomes to Horgan's car and the absence of a murder weapon.

None of the prints lifted from the Toyota Camry were matched to Odomes.

“It's not his fault they don't have more evidence,” Burton said in his closing arguments.

He also pointed out that the blood found in the church hall, including the spot on the table with Odomes' fingerprint, was never tested to determine if it belonged to Horgan.

“The jury made their decision,” Burton said after the trial. “You can never tell what a jury is thinking.”

He said he is in the process of appealing Odomes' multiple-offender charge.

Horgan, a native of Meridian, Miss., who grew up in Hammond, left behind a congregation and family members who remember him as a fun, loving and inviting man.

“Hunter was a fantastic person,” Perry said. “This was a totally senseless murder to a very good person.”

Staff Writer Nate Monroe can be reached at 448-7639 or at nate.monroe@dailycomet.com.

<p>A 33-year-old Thibodaux man is guilty of bludgeoning a priest to death 19 years ago, a verdict that took jurors just 45 minutes of deliberation and brings closure to a case that stunned the community. </p><p>The conviction, handed down Thursday afternoon, may not result in any jail time for Derrick Odomes, who already faces a life sentence for other crimes, but Horgan's family said it was a needed decision for a senseless crime that festered like an open wound for nearly two decades. </p><p>A 12-member jury unanimously found Odomes guilty of second-degree murder at the conclusion of a two-day trial.</p><p>“The family can finally have closure,” said Jon Perry, Horgan's cousin and the family spokesman. “This has been 19 years coming.”</p><p>Odomes bludgeoned the Rev. Hunter Horgan to death Aug. 13, 1992, inside the priest's office in St. John's Episcopal Church in Thibodaux. Odomes, who was 14 years old in 1992, was arrested in September 2007.</p><p>In the courtroom, some of Horgan's family members huddled together, held hands and cried tears of relief in the moments after the verdict was read. </p><p>Odomes listened quietly with his face resting on his right palm.</p><p>District Judge John E. LeBlanc, who presided over the trial, ruled last year that Odomes can't be sentenced in connection with the slaying because of his age at the time of Horgan's death.</p><p>State law in place in 1992 mandates that a conviction in Horgan's murder would require Odomes' release at age 21. </p><p>But Odomes got a life sentence last week as a result of six felony convictions he has racked up in the 19 years since the murder, ensuring he will face significant jail time.</p><p>Horgan's family and District Attorney Cam Morvant II said pursuing the guilty verdict was important even if the conviction will not result in more jail time.</p><p>Perry said the family wanted the case solved “the proper way” and is willing to accept the possibility that Odomes will not receive a longer prison sentence for the murder.</p><p>A sentencing hearing is set for Sept. 23. Perry said he will be there to talk about the murder's impact on the family. Morvant said he will consider appealing LeBlanc's decision.</p><p>Horgan's body was found in a pool of blood outside his office the morning after the Wednesday-night killing. His wallet was missing, and his pants pocket was turned inside out. Horgan's gray 1990 Toyota Camry, missing from the church parking lot, was found later that night on St. Charles Street.</p><p>Morvant said investigators found a trail of blood between the office and kitchen.</p><p>Crime-scene investigators told the jury that two fingerprints found at the crime scene were later matched to Odomes. One was on the faucet in the church kitchen and another was on a bloody table in Horgan's office.</p><p>Prosecutors questioned Derrick Reed, a self-described childhood friend of Odomes who is now serving a 10-year state prison sentence for burglary. Reed told the jury that Odomes admitted to the killing years ago. Reed gave a statement to investigators when they approached him in 2007.</p><p>“When you live a street life, that ain't what you do,” he said when asked why it took him several years to give the information to detectives. “I was afraid.” </p><p>Odomes took the stand Thursday to state his innocence and challenge Reed's testimony.</p><p>He did not deny that the two fingerprints belonged to him, and he could not explain why there was blood on the table in Horgan's office.</p><p>Odomes said he and his friends were frequently at a playground behind the church. Odomes said he would go into the church hall to use the bathroom and get water.</p><p>Those trips for water and the rest room, Odomes said, were the likely reason his prints were found in the church hall.</p><p>Morvant questioned why Odomes told investigators in 1998 that he had never been inside the church hall.</p><p>“I was scared,” Odomes said, explaining that he felt threatened during the police interview. “I really didn't know what to do.”</p><p>He told Morvant during the tense round of questioning that he was afraid the police would put on a circus like “the circus you're putting on now.”</p><p>Morvant told the jury in his closing arguments that Odomes' testimony made a “mockery” of the trial and should not be trusted.</p><p>Lynden Burton, Odomes' New Iberia-based attorney, focused on what he told jurors was a lack of evidence tying Odomes to Horgan's car and the absence of a murder weapon. </p><p>None of the prints lifted from the Toyota Camry were matched to Odomes. </p><p>“It's not his fault they don't have more evidence,” Burton said in his closing arguments.</p><p>He also pointed out that the blood found in the church hall, including the spot on the table with Odomes' fingerprint, was never tested to determine if it belonged to Horgan.</p><p>“The jury made their decision,” Burton said after the trial. “You can never tell what a jury is thinking.”</p><p>He said he is in the process of appealing Odomes' multiple-offender charge.</p><p>Horgan, a native of Meridian, Miss., who grew up in Hammond, left behind a congregation and family members who remember him as a fun, loving and inviting man.</p><p>“Hunter was a fantastic person,” Perry said. “This was a totally senseless murder to a very good person.”</p><p>Staff Writer Nate Monroe can be reached at 448-7639 or at nate.monroe@dailycomet.com.</p>